Why Metabolic Typing® Has Such A Profound Affect on Health Part 3

In Part 1 of this series we discovered that there are 11 Fundamental Homeostatic Control (FHC) that control and regulate the hundreds of thousands of cellular reactions that take place every day in your body.

In Part 2 we learned that there are two primary FHC’s, the Autonomic and Oxidative Systems. The oxidative FHC is concerned with the rate nutrients are converted to energy in the cells. The Autonomic FHC is the master regulator of all conscious and involuntary aspects of metabolism.

Simply put, the oxidative FHC controls energy production while the Autonomic regulates the use of that energy

Within the Autonomic FHC there are two divisions: Sympathetic and Parasympathetic

Each person, including you, has inherited various strengths and weaknesses in each of these systems. Some people are more strongly influenced by the sympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system, while others are influenced more strongly by the parasympathetic system.

Some people are fast oxidizers; others are slow oxidizers. There are practically an infinite number of variations within these influences.

The genetically based variances in the autonomic and oxidative systems provide the basis for all our physiological, psychological and diet related characteristics.

For example, Sympathetic types tend to have high energy, be aggressive, have weak digestion and dry skin, but have excellent concentration. Slow oxidizers tend to be lethargic, depressed and have weak appetites.

All the physiological, psychological and diet related characteristics of an individual can be categorized according to their relationship to the autonomic and oxidative systems. Consequently, although each person is unique, their characteristics form a certain pattern and thereby fall under a certain metabolic classification.

Once your metabolic classification or Metabolic Type® is identified, a basis exists for understanding not only the cause from a biochemical (nutritional) standpoint for any adverse condition that may be present, but also the requirements for nutrition necessary to restore balance and efficiency within each individual.

This is because all the various foods and nutrients, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, etc., have been categorized according to how they influence the autonomic and oxidative systems, as well as the other Fundamental Homeostatic Controls.

Metabolic Typing® has found that the same condition found in different people may arise due to virtually opposite kinds of nutritional imbalances. It is also true that any given nutrient can have virtually opposite influences in different metabolic types.

Certain nutrients will have a stimulating effect, while others will have a sedating effect. Some will cause a metabolic shift towards acidity, while others a shift towards alkalinity. Certain ones will have a catabolic effect, while others an anabolic effect.

However (of course it can’t be that simple, otherwise everyone would be doing it), from extensive empirical evidence it has been discovered that any given nutrient (or food) can have a different effect on different individuals, depending on which system is the dominant system.

In other words, a given nutrient is not stimulating or sedating, acidifying or alkalinizing. What determines a nutrient’s effect is ultimately what system is influenced in a given individual.

This phenomena Metabolic Typing® has called the Dominance Factor.

The Dominance Factor explains why one person can take potassium and feel an increase in energy, while someone else will experience a loss in energy. For example:

If an individual is categorized as Autonomic Dominant, potassium will slow him down because of its influence of stimulating parasympathetic activity. Whenever the parasympathetic system becomes stronger than the sympathetic system, the body chemistry will shift more alkaline and tend towards a hypoactive state.

If the same potassium is given to an Oxidative Dominant, it will increase the rate of oxidation, causing an energy boost in a slow oxidizer and a shift towards a more acidic metabolism.

The Dominance factor explains why what works for one person does not work for another, or how a given food or nutrient can behave differently in different people.

According to Metabolic Typing® the effect of any given nutrient on a given person depends on which system is dominant and on what level the nutrient is active. (Luckily, we have computers to keep all this information straight).

The human body is extremely complex. Understanding how nutrition influences the body is also very complex. Without the perspective afforded by Metabolic Typing®, the field of nutrition remains baffling.

We now have a basis for understanding why so much scientific research into nutrition has seemingly been so contradictory. That reason is: Any research on the effects of a given nutrient may have different results depending on the differences in the metabolic types employed in the research. The only nutritional research that makes sense would be performed on specific metabolic type groups.

Very simply put, the FHC dominance factor explains why a diet that has a positive influence on one person may have no impact upon another and may make a third person worse.

Part 4 in this series will tie everything together and discuss why Metabolic Typing® is the best option when you are building health.